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Thomas Thorndike enters federal court in Hartford in October, when he pleaded guilty to tax-related crimes. Thorndike was a former financial adviser and prepared tax returns for hundreds of people in the Woodbury area, including police and attorneys, but was indicted last year after the feds say the tax paperwork contained fraudulent deductions. Thorndike is expected to be sentenced Tuesday in Hartford, where prosecutors will argue for a six-year prison term. RA Archive

WATERBURY -- Federal prosecutors are recommending a former Woodbury tax preparer who pleaded guilty to several federal crimes receive six years in prison when he's sentenced on Tuesday.

Prosecutors describe Thomas Thorndike, who owned the Woodbury-based tax service Cornerstone Financial Services, as a man whose "default preference has been to deceive and to lie in all matters big and small as long as he stands to profit."

Many of those people were audited by the Internal Revenue Service as a result, and several lawsuits are pending against Thorndike.

In arguing for the maximum sentence allowed, prosecutors described Thorndike as a "serial liar" who used "taxpayers as a buffer between him and his illegal conduct and the IRS placing these taxpayers in real jeopardy."

Thorndike pleaded guilty in October to aiding and assisting in the filing of a false tax return and filing a false tax return. Those charges stem from a grand jury indictment that claimed he prepared fraudulent returns for clients in multiple years by claiming phony charitable deductions and job expenses.

In several of those cases, the IRS determined that after his clients were audited, Thorndike directed them to submit fabricated mileage logs or fake receipts to support business expenses, and to produce phony receipts for charitable contributions to Goodwill Industries.

Federal authorities also found Thorndike had issued payroll checks to his sons -- as much as $40,000 to one -- and then claimed those payments as business expenses when in fact the sons weren't working for Cornerstone Financial. He also claimed a $30,000 diamond engagement ring as a business expense after his wedding was called off, according to authorities.

Investigators audited only a limited number of returns to establish what they claim was a pattern of illegal tax breaks. Prosecutors estimate the loss to the government was about $182,000, based on the audited returns, but say the actual amount was likely higher, possibly closer to $1.8 million.

Prosecutors suggest that some of Thorndike's clients knowingly participated in the scheme, claiming in a recent filing that John "Pudgie" Maia, a former inspector for the state's attorney's office, and police detective Robert Liquindoli were Thorndike clients. Both men have been charged with tax-related crimes and have pleaded not guilty.

In asking for a maximum sentence of 21 months, Thorndike's attorney, Andrew Bowman, claimed his client had led a hard life. He said Thorndike grew up in a broken household, his mother died of lupus when he was young and he was homeless for a period in his teenage years.

Bowman also highlighted Thorndike's work as an agent for the IRS from 1977 to 1982, saying he earned a commendation from a superior while he worked in Atlanta.

Thorndike donated thousands to charity and had his children donate items to the city homeless shelter, Bowman argued in a recent filing, citing a letter from Thorndike's ex-wife.

In response, prosecutors point out that Thorndike's claims weren't backed by contact information for people who could verify the story of his hard life. They also point out he made hundreds of thousands during his years as a preparer.

They also described his brief employment with the IRS as "almost farcical."

"The defendant exploited that service for his own financial gain when he started to defraud the United States by employing tactics that he knew, as a result of his experience, the IRS would have difficulty detecting," prosecutors stated.

Thorndike's sentencing has been postponed several times, and is now scheduled for Tuesday morning in federal court in Hartford.

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kipper wrote on Mar 11, 2013 8:59 AM:

" Put the tax cheat in jail and let him rot. He's using the same old tactic of saying he had a tough childhood. When are people like him ever going to take responsibility for their actions, the freakin guy is in his sixties and still blames his childhood. What a farce!!!!!!!!!!!! "

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